Help Save One Of Grand Rapids’ Most Iconic Sounds

One of my favorite sounds growing up was this grandfather clock my grandparents had in their living room that would play a chime every hour on the hour. It was a constant sound you could look forward to until one day, it just quit. The lack of chimes was eerily uncomfortable and sad.

Grand Rapids, too, has an hourly chime that has been ringing every hour for 100 years. The four bells at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church have been a constant sound in the city, but they could become silent if the church can't raise enough to repair the bells soon.

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100 Years of Chiming

The largest bell in Grand Rapids has rung from 7 am to 6 pm every weekday for years. It has become a staple of the area, regardless of whether you attend the church or not. But after many years of use, the swinging mechanism that rings the bell is in dire need of repairs.

However, those repairs are not cheap. An estimated $19,000 is required to save the bells. So, much like in Back the Future, a "Save the Bell Tower" campaign has been launched in hopes that the community can come together to save the bells that have accompanied their daily lives for years.

A Unique Concern

While the funds to repair the bells are a monetary concern for the church, the bigger concern is what could happen if the bells go silent. Interestingly, the consistent ringing of the bells has allowed it to be an exception to noise ordinances since it is a part of everyday life. Rev. Ron Floyd explains:

“The bells have been grandfathered in under the city’s sound regulations because they have been ringing without fail since they were dedicated,” he said. “As long as they continue that way, we should be fine for the next 100 years.”

But if the bells were to become silent for an extended time, there is a chance people could file noise complaints whenever the bells are repaired since the sound of silence would become the new "norm". If you would like to donate to the Bell Tower campaign, you can do so here.